Learning doesn’t always have to take place in a classroom. Schools, colleges, and universities around the world are rolling out digital lessons. Online classes give students more free time to do the things they love, without compromising on their education. One of the main tools utilized by modern educational facilities in order to facilitate digital learning is the use of virtual desktop infrastructure, which is a technology that allows students and teachers to access their school computer desktops, applications, and files over the internet from their home devices. This post will explain some of the benefits of virtual desktop infrastructure so you can quickly determine whether it’s right for your educational facility or not.
Top Advantages of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure in Education
1. More Accessibility
Virtual desktops make it possible for students and teachers to access their school computers from any device, anywhere. This means learning material is more accessible. However, you need to research VDI storage requirements, so you can be sure that the devices used by students and teachers can accommodate the applications required to access their classroom computers. Many schools today give both teachers and students laptops to take home to study on. If your educational facility has the budget, distributing laptops is a great way to ensure students are able to study from home and teachers are able to work without being in the classroom. In terms of accessibility, virtual desktop infrastructure means there doesn’t need to be interruptions to your student’s education if there are unexpected school closures or they suffer personal losses.
2. Saving Money
Virtual desktop infrastructure can save you a lot of money since most processing takes place on servers, not computers. This means you don’t have to invest in expensive hardware, nor do you have to worry about upgrading or maintaining it. IT is one of the most expensive departments in any educational institution since most teaching involves the use of computers and the internet. If you want to start saving money, now’s the time to invest in virtual desktop infrastructure. As well as saving money, virtual desktop infrastructure can also extend the lifespan of older devices, since they won’t be used for heavy workloads.
3. Better Security
Cybersecurity has never been more important. The last thing schools want is to have their computers compromised. Did you know that virtual desktop infrastructure is much more secure than traditional school computing? Since everything is hosted on a server, it can be protected much more effectively. When files are stored on physical hard drives, they are more susceptible to damage, deterioration, and theft. To steal from a physical hard drive, all a person has to do is unplug it and take it. Stealing from a server, however, is much more difficult, and requires significant expertise in hacking.
4. Simple IT Management
IT management is, as mentioned above, one of the most challenging departments for schools to manage. This is because IT management is expensive. You will have to pay the salary of several IT technicians, since running an entire school’s computer systems can be very time-consuming and requires expertise. When you shift to virtual desktop infrastructures, however, you can cut down on the amount of IT staff you have working for you, and focus more on managing your systems digitally. Digital system management is safer, simpler, and cheaper.
5. Greater Scalability
One of the best things about virtual desktop infrastructure is that it is highly scalable. You only pay for what you use, which means you don’t have to worry about buying expensive computer equipment, only for it to get minimal use. It is commonplace for schools to buy extravagant computing systems, which students hardly use, so by shifting online, you will be able to save your business money and ensure that you only pay for what you actually need. If you want to scale your school’s virtual desktop infrastructure up, get in touch with the provider you are working with directly and ask for their support.
6. Personalized Learning
Virtual desktop infrastructure allows students to access files or specialist learning plans from the comfort of their homes, which is highly beneficial for young people suffering from disabilities who aren’t able to attend class in person. It also means people who are off sick can still keep up with their classwork. Teachers are also able to create individualized environments for their students, ensuring that each student has their needs met. If your students work from home, it is also important to host regular virtual classes, so they can engage with other students.
Virtual desktop infrastructure is, without a doubt, one of the greatest investments an educational institution can make. If you are interested in rolling VDI out at your school, find the best provider you can, which you can do by reading reviews and asking for recommendations from other educational providers in your area.
